branch. Just reaching for the tool has my shoulder wailing in warning. Once I get into the groove, that pain should subside. I’m pulled from my task by the rustling of nylon. A quick glance reveals Blakely stirring, a slight twitch of her nose followed by a low hum. Long lashes fan her cheeks with rapid flutters.
When I turn fully to face the shelter, she’s blinking her eyes open. Those heavy-lidded baby blues narrow in on the rejuvenated fire behind me. A slow smile spreads across her lips.
“You’re a really good guy, Halder.”
There’s no stopping the grimace from collapsing my expression. “Most would call bullshit.”
“Well, they’re not here.”
“That’s very true.”
“Forget about them, right?”
That’s an impossible feat since the worst of them are responsible for abandoning us in the fucking wilderness. But for her, I paste a smirk on my mouth. “Sure. Are you hungry?”
Blakely rolls onto her back, staring at the planked ceiling of our lean-to. “I suppose coffee isn’t on the menu.”
“That wasn’t included in our bags. I can double check, though. Maybe they took pity on us.” Amusement clangs in my voice.
“In that case, search for the keys to our escape pod.”
“I’d laugh if I had the energy.” I scrub at the layer of stubble coating my jaw. One more thing that requires adjusting to. At least they let me shave in prison.
“Did you sleep all right?”
Lying to her isn’t a habit I want to start. I settle for vague honesty. “Decent enough.”
She props herself up, rubbing at the creases lining her temple. “Were you cold?”
Not while having her next to me. Thoughts of pulling her into my grasp kept me burning like a furnace through the dip in temperature. “No, I was fine. Relaxing enough to feel well rested has evaded me since being locked up.”
“That makes sense,” she whispers. Whenever I bring up my time in the pen, she seems to slam down a solid wall between us. Does my criminal reputation, no matter how false, bother her that much?
I grab one of the bars in my pocket and stride toward her. “You should eat.”
She takes my offering of breakfast. “Thanks.”
My jerky nod is all the response she gets. I’m already jumping into what comes next. Once food and water are handled, we’ll begin exploring the great unknown. There’s an entire day of potential obstacles stretching in front of us. How do I plan for that?
Crinkling from her opening the wrapper drowns out the whirling of my mind. I wolf down my own meal, barely noticing the chalky flavor. These packs must have been in the bargain bin that no one bothers to browse through. The brick of ingredients tastes like Styrofoam.
Blakely swipes the crumbs off her lips and shimmies out of the sleeping bag. Even decked out in ski pants and a puffy jacket, she’s a total knockout. Getting a glimpse at the curves I’m well aware linger underneath those layers is a goal for better times. She spins on her booted sole and catches me gawking. With a pop of her hip, she blasts me with a knowing grin.
“See something you like?”
There’s no denying my blatant perusal. A crossroads forms in my lust-addled brain regardless. I can’t avoid her question without being a total dick. Preserving her trust is priority. I part my lips only to slam them shut for several seamless loops without a single word escaping. A shove to just take the dive finally wins out. “Absolutely.”
Real eloquent, I know.
Her eyebrows leap under the fringe of her wool hat. “Really? I was just messing around.”
I shrug and dip my chin. “You’re a damn stunner, Blakely. What can I say?”
That appealing shade flushes her face. “Glad I’m not the only one losing my wits.”
“You recover far better than me.”
She huffs out a laugh lacking any humor. “Do you remember last night? Talk about a train wreck.”
I press a palm against the ache spreading in my chest. “Quite clearly.”
“My grace with you has zero limits.”
“Just me?”
“Well, I’m no seductress. Quite the opposite, really. But usually I can hold my own in front of a hot guy.”
I feel my mouth curling at the corners. That simple compliment has the power to skyrocket my flimsy self-esteem. If I wasn’t wearing winter gear, she’d see the proof of my reaction. I widen my stance just in case. From her, those words are worth more than a ticket home. Well, unless she’s on the return flight with me.
I cough to mask the husky undertones of my surging desire.